During my technology career, the phrase ‘the Russians used a pencil’ was a vivid reminder that the simplest solution is often the best one. For those who may not have heard the story about the Russian pencil, it goes something like this: When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered ballpoint pens did…
Have you ever noticed the word nonplussed has two opposite meanings? The original definitions of nonplussed is perplexed or disconcerted. Recently, and primarily in the U.S., nonplussed has come to mean unfazed or not surprised – the exact opposite of the original definition. The opposite definitions are certainly confusing but surprisingly it’s not that rare…
Despite the popularity of the saying, Sherlock Holmes never actually said “elementary, my dear Watson.” Regardless, we recognize the phrase refers to something which is easily understood – perhaps obvious – even if it seems confusing to others. Referring to the books, Watson is surprised and impressed when Holmes is able to figure out things from…
In the early 2010s, it became increasingly common to suggest that robots were stealing our jobs. Dozens of headlines breathlessly warned (e.g. MIT, BBC, The Conversation, Fast Company) nearly 50% of 700 common occupations would be completely automated – filled by machines, rather than mankind. Only it didn’t really happen. Turns out it wasn’t even…
You can use the power of callbacks to improve your marketing… and to be funnier. In case you’re not familiar with the term, in comedy callbacks describe a joke which refers back to one told earlier in the set. By reminding the audience of the previous reference, the comic gets more than one laugh from…
Have you heard of the pizza conundrum? No, this isn’t about whether pineapple belongs on pizza (definitely not) or what size pizza is the best buy (get the bigger one). The pizza conundrum was inspired by a conversation with a friend at one of our recent get togethers. He posed the following scenario to me……
Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised, but there has been an on-going debate on which is more important to an organization’s long term success: ideas or execution? Headquarter executives, strategy aficionados, and entrepreneurs often chime in on the side of creativity and ideas. Operational executives and line workers usually favor execution. Actually, debate might be too…
The interesting number paradox is a simple way to reinforce that sometimes the best way to prove something is to actually prove its contrary. My curiosity about interesting numbers stemmed from a variety of online chatter about how the year 2025 was mathematically interesting: The concept of interestingness is not actually defined mathematically but is…
When people ask for advice or a second opinion, they give clues to the answer they are expecting so they don’t get a truly independent point of view. In a series of experiments, researchers found that people often add their own opinion when they ask for an opinion or advice, even though they are aware…
“Give me a place to stand and a lever long enough and I will move the world”— Greek mathematician Archimedes (attributed) Leverage is a concept well discussed in mechanics and in finance but less has been written about leverage in business. In mechanics, leverage involves a fulcrum (visualize a seesaw or teeter-totter) and we generally…